John Bellany

1942-2013
John Bellany

John Bellany CBE RA HRSA (1942–2013) was one of the most powerful and uncompromising voices in post-war British art, celebrated for emotionally charged paintings that fused autobiography, symbolism and the traditions of Scottish maritime life. Born into a fishing family in the East Lothian village of Port Seton, Bellany’s upbringing within a deeply rooted Presbyterian and sea-faring community became the enduring foundation of his artistic imagination. The rituals, hardships and folklore of fishing life, alongside themes of mortality, faith, guilt and redemption, would remain central to his work throughout his career.

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My Uncle Bill’s Boat, The Estralita, Port Seton, 1999

oil on canvas
H:91.5cm W:122cm
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Sweet Promise

oil on canvas
H:76cm W:62cm
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The Snowdon Skate, 1990

watercolour
H:58cm W:37cm
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Fury, 1993

oil on canvas
H:38cm W:31cm
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Fishwoman, c.1990

oil on board
H:122cm W:94cm
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Mary Stuart, 1987

oil on canvas
H:121cm W:90cm
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Mizpah, 1960s

oil on canvas
H:131cm W:153cm
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Dance Macabre

watercolour
H:56cm W:52.5cm
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